A recent camera comprises pluralities of exposure modes, from which a user can set a desired exposure mode. The setting of an exposure mode is generally conducted by a particular operation member (exposure mode dial) or exposure mode menu, but increased types of exposure modes have made it necessary to operate plural buttons to switch exposure modes.
Typical exposure modes include a “programmed exposure mode” for automatically setting a shutter speed (Tv) and an aperture value (Av) to the optimum values to obtain proper exposure depending on the brightness value (Bv) of an object, a “shutter speed priority exposure mode” for manually setting a shutter speed with an aperture value automatically set to the optimum value depending on the brightness value, and an “aperture value priority exposure mode” for manually setting an aperture value with a shutter speed automatically set to the optimum value depending on the brightness value.
JP 5-27296 A discloses an exposure-mode-setting method capable of changing a programmed exposure mode to a shutter speed priority exposure mode [Av auto, Tv manual] by operating a shutter-speed-setting member (Tv dial), without operating an exposure mode dial or an exposure mode menu, and changing the programmed mode to the aperture value priority exposure mode [Av manual, Tv auto] by operating an aperture-value-setting member (Av dial). An initial Tv or Av calculated by a programmed mode is changed by the Tv or Av dial.
However, because the ISO sensitivity (Sv) can be freely set in recent digital cameras, the exposure-mode-setting method of JP 5-27296 A cannot handle (a) a programmed exposure mode (P exposure mode), (b) an ISO sensitivity priority exposure mode (Sv priority exposure mode), (c) a shutter speed/aperture value priority exposure mode (TAv priority exposure mode), (d) a manual exposure mode (M exposure mode), etc. In this method, a user has to determine which exposure factor is manually set, with remaining exposure factors automatically set, and then manually set a particular exposure factor by an exposure mode dial or an exposure mode menu, needing lengthy steps.
The programmed exposure mode (P exposure mode) expressed by [Av auto, Tv auto, Sv auto] automatically sets a shutter speed (Tv), an aperture value (Av), and ISO sensitivity (Sv) to the optimum values, to obtain proper exposure depending on the brightness value.
The ISO sensitivity priority exposure mode (Sv priority exposure mode) expressed by [Av auto, Tv auto, Sv manual] manually sets ISO sensitivity (Sv), and automatically sets a shutter speed (Tv) and an aperture value (Av), to obtain proper exposure depending on the brightness value.
The shutter speed/aperture value priority exposure mode (TAv priority exposure mode) expressed by [Av manual, Tv manual, Sv auto] manually sets a shutter speed (Tv) and an aperture value (Av), and automatically sets ISO sensitivity (Sv), to obtain proper exposure depending on the brightness value.
The manual exposure mode (M exposure mode) expressed by [Av manual, Tv manual, Sv manual] manually sets all of a shutter speed (Tv), an aperture value (Av), and ISO sensitivity (Sv).
JP 2008-70520 A discloses an imaging apparatus comprising a means for automatically calculating a shutter speed and an aperture value based on ISO sensitivity set by an electronic dial, and setting an ISO sensitivity priority exposure mode, to obtain proper exposure depending on the brightness value.
JP 2008-70510 A discloses an imaging apparatus comprising electronic dials for setting a shutter speed and an aperture value, and a means for selecting a shutter speed/aperture value priority exposure mode for automatically calculating ISO sensitivity based on a shutter speed and an aperture value set by a user, to obtain proper exposure depending on the brightness value.
In the imaging apparatuses of JP 2008-70520 A and JP 2008-70510 A, however, an exposure mode dial or an exposure mode menu needs to be operated to select an ISO sensitivity priority exposure mode or a shutter speed/aperture value priority exposure mode. Thus, the changing of exposure modes, and the setting of exposure factors should be conducted separately, failing to eliminate lengthy steps.